Improvement in automatic air-vents



J. P. GRUBER. Automatic Air-Vent.

No. 215,915E Y Patented May 27,1879.

NA PETERS, PHOTO-UTNOGRAPHER. WASMXNGTONy D C,

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEroE.

JOHN P. GRUBER, 0F JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC AIR-VENTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 215,915, dated May 27 1879; application iiled November 8, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, JOHN P. GRUBER, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have made a certain new and useful Improvement in an Automatic Air-Vent, of which the following is a full and clear description.

This invention relates to an automatic vent for admitting atmospheric air to the interior of any closed vessel from which the contents are to be withdrawn and the cavity refilled with air.

The invention is particularly applicable to barrels or similar packages usually employed for holding fluids which deteriorate by contact with the open air, some of which develop a gas-pressure which it is desirable to retain; but the device is readily adaptable to various other uses.

The invention consists of a plug, which is to be secured in the sigle or shell of the vessel to be operated upon, with a vent-hole passing through this plug from the exterior to the interior of the cask or vessel, and an india-rubber or other suitable valve-piece provided for covering the interior end of the veilt-aperture, the valve-piece to be constructed so as to open automatically for the admission of atmospheric air to the interior whenever an y portion of the contents of said vessel are withdrawn, and immediately thereafter closing automatically as soon as an equilibrium of atmospheric pressure is restored between the interior and exterior of the vessel, and thereby preventing the escape ot gas or the loss of any of the contents of the vessel through the vent-aperture in case the vessel should be turned over so as to present the inner end of the said vent-aperture to contactk with the contents. A shield or guard-piece is provided and arranged so as to cover and protect from injury lthe valvepiece.

spectively,A an elevation and a plan of thel valve-piece detached from the other parts.

Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, an elevation and a plan ofthe guard or shield-piece detached from the other parts.

The plug A may be secured in the side of the vessel in' which it is to be used by any suitable means, but preferably by means of screw-threadsa cut into its periphery below the head al, the shoulders below the said head being` used to press down upon a suitable packing-piece, if required. The notches a2 in the sides of the head are intended for the engagement of a wrench for turning in 'this plug. In this shape the plug A will readily iill the ofce of a bung for a cask or barrel, and the cask or barrel in which it is used will not be liable to injury by having the interior coating of rosin or other substance with which it is lined broken or injured, asis frequently done by hammering on the exterior with a bungstarter for the purpose of giving vent.

The vent-aperture consists, preferably, of a transverse hole, a3, bored across the head part, between the notches a2, where the ends of the holel will be least liable to injury, and a longitudinal hole, a4, leading from the hole a3 to the extreme inner end ofthe plug-piece. Through these holes a3 and a4 the air will pass from the exterior to the interior of the vessel, as maybe required. Of course, the vent a4 might, if preferred, extend straight through the piece A from end to end.

The valve-piece B may be formed of leather or other suitable material; but I prefer to make it of india-rubber, as best adapted to the purpose, and to make it conical, as being the best form to use, though semi-spherical or various other shapes may be used, if preferred, the important point being to construct the piece with a slit or opening, b, so arranged as to open automatically upon the slightest pressure of air upon its side next the aperture a4, and thereby permitting the air so pressing upon it to pass through the opening, and as soon as an equilibrium of atmospheric pressure is re-established.between the exterior and interior of the cask the opening b will assume its normal position of being closed, and it will be closed in such a position that pressure upon it from the inside of the vessel will only close it more tightly. To secure this end the said piece B will be made concave on the side next the aperture a4 and convex on the opposite side, and, therefore, pressure upon it from the interior of the cask will act like pressure upon the exterior of an arch, and so serve to keep it closed, While pressure from the Outside will have a contrary effect.

If this piece B is constructed of india-rubber, the top or large end of it may be slipped over the end of the nib a5, the periphery of which, near its extreme end, has a projecting ridge, over which the piece B Will lap and holdv may be simply a cylindrical metallic piece,

With one of its ends closed and the other arranged to slip tightly over or on the collar as of the plug A, friction alone being sufficient to hold these parts together. One or Amore vent-holes, c, will be made through the shell of C, to permit the air to pass through from the valve B b, as may be required.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The plug A, provided with screw-threads ,60, cut in its periphery below the head or packing-flange al, notches a2, transverse Vent-aperture a3 between said notches, and a vertical Vent-aperture, a4, leading from the vent a3 to the inner end of the plug, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the screw-plug A, having' vent-apertures a3 a4, projecting nib a5, cylindrical collar a6, and projecting flange at its inner end, of the valvepiece B and shieldpiece C, as and for the purpose set forth.

JOHN P. GRUBER. 

